AUTHORS GAMES

Instructive Game of Authors with Sketches Characters
and Events. Philadelphia: Porter and Coates, 1873.

Authors Card Game. Racine: Whitman Publishing
Co., n.d.

A New Game of Authors or Graded Literary Cards.
Morning Sun: A. B. Carroll, 1885.

Young Folks' Favorite Authors.
Cincinnati: Fireside Game Co., 1897.

Black Authors Playing Cards. Yarmouth: Whitehall
Line, 1991.

The game of Authors was first published by G. M. Whipple & A. A.
Smith in Salem, Massachusetts in 1861. Since copyright was not strictly
enforced at this time, game publishers throughout America produced
variations of this exceedingly popular card game. Not only were they making
games about Authors, but decks could be found concerning Actors, Artists,
Philosophers, Presidents, Inventors, and even Civil War Battles.

Featured in the image above are five of the numerous examples of Authors
games in the Lilly Library collection. Ranging in publication date from 1873
to 1991, modern authors, such as Richard Wright and Toni Morrison, are
featured alongside classic 19th century writers, including Robert Lewis
Stevenson and Nathanial Hawthorne, as well as more obscure authors like Mary
Mapes Dodge and Eugene Field.

HOW TO PLAY

Each deck consists of a quantity of sets of four cards, each of which
concerns the works of the authors represented. These sets of four are
referred to as 'books.' The object of the game is to collect
as many complete sets of 'books' as possible.

The game is best played with three to five players. The dealer shuffles and
deals the entire deck, one card at a time, to each player, even if this
means that some players receive more cards than others. Players should
arrange the cards in their hands according to author so that they may better
see which remaining cards are needed to complete a 'book.'
As is typical with most card games, the player to the left of the dealer
begins the game. That player may ask any other player for a card which is
needed for a 'book.' If they have the necessary card, the
first player continues to ask for another card until one cannot be found,
and so on. Once all of the 'books' are complete, the player
with the most sets of four wins the game.

Featured below are four variations of the game of Authors in the Lilly
Library Collection.